As a sports journalist, it can be hard to be unbiased. A subject may rub you the wrong way after they have a bad race (understandable), or after spending a few minutes with them they can become your favorite person in the world (see: Emily Infeld or Jenny Simpson).

Enter the men’s 100 meters, track’s premier event.

You had Usain Bolt, the fastest man ever, all around great guy, and a figure who I personally have idolized for nearly ten years. He was taking on Justin Gatlin, a man with a controversial past.

The result of this race had co-workers texting me to make sure I wasn’t crying. (I wasn’t). If that doesn’t scream “Instant Classic,” I don’t know what does.

Women's Marathon

GLYN KIRK/Getty

Picked by: Erin Strout, Contributing Editor

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I’ll admit it. I was snoozing for a good portion of the women’s marathon last Sunday morning. I kept waiting for it to get interesting. So, thank you, Amy Cragg, for not only making the last two miles of the marathon thrilling (and worth waiting for), but showing in the final 400 meters what true grit, heart, and desire look like. When Cragg crossed the finish line third, earning the first American women’s medal in a world championships marathon in 34 years, it seemed like it was the start of something special for Team USA in the days of competition that followed.

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Media 800-meters

John Walton - PA Images/ Getty

Picked by: Staff

We’re pretty proud that very own correspondent Cathal Dennehy won the media 800-meter race in 1:54.56. That’s fast. Then he made this face based on the face you see above, which is Poland’s Karsten’s Warholm’s reaction to winning the men’s 400-meter hurdles.

Women’s 1500

Matthias Hangst/ Getty Images

Picked by: Ali Nolan, Digital Articles Editor

Listen. This race was packed: Caster Semenya, Faith Kipyegon, Laura Muir, Genzebe Dibaba—the start line was like the red carpet of track athletes. These are strong women. Fast and incredible. And then there is Jenny. Jenny Simpson is like an ethereal unicorn of a person. Tenacious, competitive, gritty, gracious—she digs deep and is strategizing every.single.second of every race. For anyone who doesn’t think track is a thinking game, watch Simpson run. And watch this particular race, as she pounds away just behind the lead back until she reaches the final stretch, then surges through the last 100 meters, sneaking up on the inside track to pass not one, but two women on her way to capture silver. Her performance embodies my favorite things about track: speed, smarts, and indescribable joy.

Women’s Steeplechase

Jonathan Brady - PA Images/ Getty Images

Picked by: Scott Douglas, Contributing Editor

Of course it was great in the moment when Emma Coburn and Courtney Frerichs went an unprecedented 1-2 in an event traditionally dominated by women born in Kenya. But I like this race the best because of how it might affect the future. Who knows how many young girls will be inspired to get a little more serious about their running, and discover all that the sport has to offer if you give it a chance?

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Hero the Hedgehog

Adam Davy - PA Images/ Getty Images

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Picked by: Erin Strout

No athlete from any nation put forth a performance quite like Hero the Hedgehog. It took me a few days to realize that Hero had a name and wasn’t an armadillo, but no matter—that was one entertaining mascot. Hero needs to become a regular at every track meet. (Sorry Oregon Duck, but Hero at Hayward? No-brainer.) Hero danced, he turned the track into a Slip ’n Slide during a torrential downpour, and he found a flamingo float to cruise around the steeple pit. He taunted Usain Bolt and zip-lined across the stadium. Let’s face it: Hero added some character and levity to a sport that desperately needs a good laugh. Hero for IAAF president!

Sure, I love all the running events (even race-walking!), but I also love a good ol’ human spectacle. Something so amazing that in the moment you don’t realize for a full minute that your jaw is on the floor. That’s how I felt Sunday afternoon when NBC showed a highlight of Qatar’s Mutaz Essa Barshim casually HURDLING over a high jump bar set at 6 feet, 4 inches during warmups. How tall is he? Barshim is 6-foot-2, and the sheer power (and frankly ease) that he hurdled that bar with made me immediately question what I just saw. And with that, I was raptured at the high jump for the duration of the telecast and instantly became a fan of the two-time Olympic medalist. And of course, Barshim went on to claim gold, winning the world title with a jump of 7 feet, 8.5 inches. Sadly, he used the traditional Fosbury Flop to clear the height.

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Women’s 4x400m Relay

Matthias Hangst/ Getty Images

Picked by: Derek Call

I was not physically in London for Worlds, that was our amazing reporter Cathal Dennehy. My wife was on the phone so I couldn’t hear what was being said on the track, but it was probably something like:

Quanera Hayes: “Who’s up for a leisurely 50-second 400?”

Allyson Felix: "What's that, people who don’t follow track in non-Olympic years? You don't think I'm the GOAT. I've some news for ya."

Shakima Wimbley: “Hey, Allyson just ran under 50 seconds…. Maybe I should do that too?”

Phyllis Francis: "There can be multiple GOATs. Ever been to a petting zoo? There can be multiple GOATs."

Team USA, with gold medals around their necks: “Who run the world? Rhetorical question.”

Men’s 1500

Stephen McCarthy/ Getty Images

Picked by: Staff

While we didn’t fully expect Matthew Centrowitz to win another 1500-meter gold following his 2016 Olympics win (he’s been fighting injuries all year), when he didn’t make it out of the first round it was still shocking.

Then American champion Robby Andrews got knocked out of the semis when he pulled up lame, leaving Johnny Gregorek as the sole American lining up for the finals in this event. The 25-year-old, whose father, John Gregorek, was a two-time Olympian, didn’t back down in the finals, finishing 10th in the competitive field with a time of 3:37.56. For the first time wearing his country’s colors, he showed that he’s not done on the world stage. (We also hear he’s a pretty amazing guy all around.)

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